Fostering in Scotland

Fostering in Scotland

Become a foster carer in Scotland

We’re looking for warm, caring people who want to make a real difference. Become a foster carer with Action for Children and join our friendly and professional team.

We are looking for people who want to make a difference to a young person’s life. We promise to be there every step of the way – from 24 hour support, to training and you will get regular paid breaks to recharge your batteries.

We providelong term fostering for young people aged 5+. We aim to provide safe, secure and loving family environments so that the young person can experience a positive model of life for the future.

Our fostering service coverscentral Scotland, the Highlands and the Scottish Borders.

For more information on the services we offer in Scotland please have a look at the information below.

We offer our foster carers:

Careful matching with a child or young person

24/7 on call support from an experienced fostering social worker

Buddying opportunities to work with or support other foster carers – you will be part of a supportive and friendly fostering community

Competitive fees, allowances for the young person and earned leave for our carers (contact us for more information)

Specialist training and development opportunities

Foster care support groups and social events

From an early stage we’ll help you find the best service that is suited to you

All of our children and young people are different; therefore, we welcome enquiries from people who will bring different skills, knowledge and life experiences to our children and young people.

Our service provides a solo placement fostering service for ages 5 years and over. We offer a family life to children who have experienced early trauma or a disruptive family break down and have possibly experienced multiple placements that haven’t worked. They will often not return to live with their family. Children and young people are supported by our foster carers until they’re ready and able to live independently. Our foster carers provide therapeutic led foster care.

Therapeutic led foster care

Children and young people come to us at different ages and with different backgrounds, but all the children have similar early years experiences of trauma, abuse and/or neglect. We're working hard to help them recapture the childhoods they've missed.

We know that all children require certain things from their parents at certain stages to allow them to develop and progress in their maturity. Sadly, the children that come to our service have missed developmental milestones and need love, nurture, appropriate emotional support and a sense of belonging within a family.

We help our foster carers to provide the children and young peoplewith sensitive, warm and nurturing experiences.

We deliver training to guide our foster carers in helping children and young people learn to enjoy play and build trust with adults. Our 'trauma' and 'attachment' work is routed in the latest research on our neurological development and focuses on the detail of the child’s experience of their often terrifying world, seeking to reduce their anxiety through thoughtful comforting surroundings and activities that reduce stress.

As a foster carer with Action for Children you and your family will receive 24/7 support and have access to a team of caring, experienced professionals to equip you to provide the best long-term care to vulnerable children and young people.

We're looking for Short Breaks Carers

Our full time foster carers receive earned leave to provide them with the essential break to restore their batteries from the intense specialist caring they provide. Our short breaks foster carers provide this support to our full time foster carers. We are looking for people who are interested in providing a different kind of foster care experience for our young people in the form of short breaks.

Short breaks carers provide a vital role in providing children and young people with a time for reflection, growth and development as well as establishing other positive relationships in their lives. In some cases, the time our young people spend on a short break will be their first experience of a wider community of people who care and are dedicated to providing them with a family experience.

This service offers variety and the chance to build up a wealth of experience though the number of different short breaks. You will meet and care for children and young people from all different circumstances and have the chance to be a positive relationship in their lives.

Short break carers are contracted – this means that we require you to commit to between 30 and 40 weeks per year. You’ll be paid a regular fee and an appropriate allowance for looking after your young person. You will have full access to training.

Short break are usually at a maximum of 2 weeks at a time or as little as one or two nights

From time to time you may be asked to take a young person at short notice where difficulties arise and it is considered necessary to arrange an emergency period of time away from the full time carer

You will be paid the same fees as our full time carers on a pro rata basis

Real stories

Read how our foster carers are changing lives.

Derrick and Sue

Derrick and Sue have been foster carers for 17 years and are currently fostering two children.

Safe and happy childhood

Action for Children protects and supports children and young people, providing practical and emotional care and support, ensuring their voices are heard, and campaigning to bring lasting improvements to their lives.